Type-writing machine.



No. 864,793. PATENTED SEPT. 3, 1907.

H. w. MERRITT.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION rum) JUNE 3. 1904.

WITNESSES: INVENTUFL fdCM Hi5 ATTORNEY UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY w. MERRITT, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, AssIoivoR To THE MONA-RG11 rrrnwarrnn COMPANY, or SYRACUSE, NEW'YORK'A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. militia and June 3,1904. seal No- 210,905.

Patented Sept. 3, 1907.

. county of Onondaga and'State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Type- Writing Machines, of which :the following is a specification. i i

This invention relates to typewriting machines and more particularly to. the paper feeding mechanism thereof.-

The main object of'the invention is to provide a device whereby cards, envelops or other forms of paper may be held in close contactwith the platen and. written npon even to their extreme edges. i

To this and other ends which will subsequently ap-- pear, my invention consists of certain features of constrnction and combinations of devices which will be hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in bodying my invention. Fig. 21s a sectional elevation taken on the plane represented by the line I of Fig; 1. Fig. 3 is a. plan view showing a portion of the end of the spring-mounted marginal paper finger and sections of the guide or pressure wiresor fingers of the central paper or card holder. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the support for the paper or card holder. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the paper or card holder proper. :Fig. Bis

a perspective of one modification of the same;

Inthe drawings the invention is shown as applied to the Monarch typewriter, but it is to be understood that it may readily. beadapted to other typewri ting maehines." i

I Like parts are represented by like numeralsthrough-' out the several vie v '1 designates corner posts sustaining a top plate 2 above whichare, mounted the rails 3 which support and guide the platen carrier 4. Mounted in the platen carrier is a'iplaten 6, which may be moved step by'step in the printing direction and line-spaced and returned in a manner well understood. At the front of the platen, secured toar'm's 7, isa double scale 8 which is formed with a longitudinal recess 9;' and supported in the ends of the platen carrier above the platen is a rod 10 on which are slidably mounted the marginal guides or spring pressed paper fingers ll1.- The end of each paper finger is'bent forwardly and formed with a-cam face or edge 12-for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The card holder support and the central paper or card holder, which will now be described; are secured to the front of the vertically disposed segmental frame plate IS. The support l4 for the card holder is prefer. ably made ofshect metal and is formed with side arms 15 and acentrally depending arm 16, the latter terminating in a horizontallip 17 which serves as a stop for the. card holder proper. Each of the arms 15 is provided with a pair-of horizontal cars 18 near the outer ends of pair of holes being in a line substantiallytangential of the platen. Centrally of the support 14 openings 20 are provided and through the latter pass'headed screws 21 by which the support is screwed to the segmental plate 13.

"The card holder proper "22 is preferably formed of fine, spring wire, such as piano wire, which is bent into the shapeof a U and then the side portions 23, which are the guide fingers of the card holder, are passed up through the holes 19, after which the ends 24 are spread or flattened out.. To the bottom of the. U a suitable finger piece 25 is secured in any desired manner, as by soldering.- After the card holder proper 22 has been thus assembled in its support 14 it is attached to the fixed plate 13 by the headedscrews 21 which pass through the openings 20 in the support 14 and in the plate 13 and are screwed into tapped holes in a suitable backing plate or nut 26.

intoworking position where it is held by the friction between the fingers 23 and the guiding holes it), through which the said'fingers pass and by which they are guided. When in this working position, as best ap peers in Fig.4, the. fingers 23 are tangential to the platen, while the flattened ends More disposed one at eachside of and ashort distance from the printing point 28 and so that a line 29 drawn toconncct the tops of said flattened ends would be parallel to and slightly below the printing line.

The card 30 or other substance to be written upon is guided and held near its side edges by the marginal fingers 11, but there always is more or less tendency of thecard to buckle or stand sway froinlhc platen between these, marginal fingers, and especially is this the case when the top or bottomof the card is at or in the. vicinity of the printing point. This buckling or bulging is' more marked the greater the distance there is between the two marginal fingers, such distance usually depending-on the length of the card, or the thicker or more'resilient the card is.. It is'one of the purposes of this invention to remedy this objection and hold the card incontact with the platen at the printing point; but it will, of course, be understood that though the invention may be best employed in conjunction with marginal paper guides or lingers, it may nevertheless be used separately and apart l'rom such marginal lingers, or guides, andthe small marginal iced rolls which frequently accompany such guides or lingers. The relation between the central paper or card holder 22 and the platen (l is such that the llattened ends 24 oi the lormer exert a pressure against the surface of the platen towards its axis. The position of the said ends 24 in relation to the printing point is such that the pressure above relerred to is so exerted against the card 30 that though it be comparati'vely thick and resilient it may nevertheless. be written upon even at; the extreme edge ol' the top or bottom. This may he accom plished although the wirting takes place alter the bottom edge has escaped from beneath the upper edge of the scale 8, which serves to hold it, and would spring away from the surl'aee ol the platen, at and near the printing point, but for the restraining'inlluence ol the lingers 23. ll while the card holder is thus l'rietionally held in working position, the movement of the platen carrier to the left or right brings either of the marginal paper lingers ll into contact with either of the spring lingers 23, the cam lace l2 ol' the paper linger Ill eontacting with each't il the lingers 23 in turn. cams them away from the platen in a manner shown most clearly in Fig. fl. and permits the marginal paper linger 11 to readily move past, alter which each linger 22', of the card holder springs back into contact with the platen or the card thereon.

When the card holder is not needed, it may be lowered to non-working position by pressing, down upon the linger piece 25 and thus moving the card holder longitudinally downward until the linger piece 25 contaets with the lower stop 17 do this position the ends 24 are opposite the recess 5) in the scale 8. It will be evident that when the card holder is in its lion-working position it is out of contact with any of the moving parts oi the machine. and unnecessary.l'rietion or rubbing is avoided.

The working position of the llattened ends 24 with relation to the printing point may be altered by loosening the screws 21 and moving the support l4 upor down, thus changing the position of the lower ears lb which, it will be recalled. serve as the limiting stop lor the upward movement ol the card holder 22.

The modified form shown in Fig. ti has the side wires 3] ol the card holder joined at the top by a cross-wire 32 which is formed with a central depression 33 to ailord a passage lot the type block's ol the type bars. In practice the side and top portions of this nioditieation .would prel'erably be ol one piece, which, alter it had been bent to the desired shape, would be passed down through the openings It) in the holder. alter which the ends Ill would be bent in and the linger piece 35 would be suitably secured thereto. I

For the-sal e oi brevity the invention has been frecard holder but it is to be understood. ol' course, that it is applicable to paper, envelops, and to other substances to be written upon as Well as to cards.

lt will be seen that. l have provided a pressure device for guiding. lei ding, controlling and holding the card in contact with the platen at and n ar the printing point; that thi pressure device serves a: a means for quently referred to as a holding the paper against the platen while the paper and platen are traveling and is arelati'vely lixed means; that the relatively lixed means t'or holding the paper against. the platen is so constructed as not to interfere with the relatively moving means tor holding and guiding the paper near its side edges, that is, the marginal paper lingers: and that the pressu e device is so eonstrncted that. it may be used in a front. strike typewri't ing machine to guide, feed, control and hold the paper or card in the vicinity oi the printing point alter the bottom edge of the paper or card has escaped from beneath t'he top edge of the scale. The flattened tops of thelingers 23, also serve as a guide to the re-insertion and adjustment oi' cards and paper, when correcting is being done. The cross bar 32 of the modified form serves a similar iuuction.

Various changes in detail construction and arrangement may be made without departing lrom the gist of the invention as expressed in the following claims.

What 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is1-- l. In a front strike typewrit'ing machine. the combination or a platen and a pressuredevice for paper or cards which is arranged to move bodily up and down tangentially o1 the platen. and to press directly against the platen or the substance to be written on.v

2. in a front strike typewritinp; machine, the combina tion of a platen. a pressure device for paper or cards which is arranged to move up and down tangentially of the platen and is movable into and out of contact with the latter. and a support for saitbpressnre device arranged in a plane substantially tangential of the platen.

Si. in a typewriting machine. the combination of a platen and a pressure device movable.tangentially of the platen into and out oi contact with the latter and relatively tixetl in respect of the machine frame.

4. in a visible writing machine. the combination of a platen. a scale for holding -the paper against the platen below and parallel to the printing line, marginal paper guides movable with the platen durim. its longitudinal movements For controlling the paper at its side edges. and an independent pressure device for the paper having a lixed position centrally ol' the machine and acting" close to the printing point. said pr. nl'e device and said-paper guides eol'iperating to permit the free longitudinal movement of the platen when the parts engage with one' another.

7. in a front strike typewriting nmchine. the combination of a platen. and n horizontally yielding card guide carried by a tixed portion of the machine and adjustable vertically to dilierent set positions.

ll. in a front strike typewriting machine. the combina-' tion of a platen and a card guide vertically adjustable into and out of working position.

7. in a' front strike iypewrlting machine, the combination of a platen. a platen scale. and a device arranged in the vicinity of the printing point and adapted to control the lower edge ot a card after it leaves the control of the platen scale and before it reaches the printing point, said device being mounted for adjustment into and out of working position.

8. in a lypewritlng machine. the combination of a platen and a pressure device attached to a tixed part of the machine and longitudinally movable in a direction tangential oi the platen into and out of contact with the platen. whereby said device is' rendered operative or inoperative. I

it. in a typewriting machine. the combination with the platen, of lixed 'means for holding the paper against lhe' to. in a iypcwriting nnlchlne, the combination oi a platen, means for holding and guiding the paper near its side edges, said means being movable with the platen, and

fixed means for guiding andholdlng the paper near the printing point, said fixed means being adapted to'be engaged by and yield to the holding and guiding means so as to permit 01 the passage by it; of said holding and guiding means which move with the platen.

11. In a typewrltinp; machine, the combination of a.

' marginal pnpcr fingers.

iii. in a typcwriting machine, the combination of a platen and a card holding device comprising a plurality 0! guide lingers attached to a fixed part of the machine and adjustable into and .out of operative position.

14. in a l vpcwriting machine, the combination of a pinion and a plurality of spring guide lingers attached to a lixcd part of the machine and adjustable into and out of .opcrntivc position. v

if. in a typcwriting machine, thecombination of a platen and a card holding device comprising a plurality of guide lingcrs attached to a fixed part of the m'achine and movable in and out of'contact with the platen. whereby said lingers are rendered operative or inoperative.

it}. in a l-ypcwriting machine, the combination '0: a platcn and a plurality of adjustable spring guide fingers attached to a fixed part of the machine and movable into and out oi contact with the platen, wherchy said' lingers arc rrndcrcd opcruiivc or inoperative.

l7. lua lypcwriting machine, the comblnation oi a-mov-' abbplalcu. a support secured on a fixed part of the machine. a card holder mounted to slide in said support into and oul of operative engagement with the platen, and a lingcr piccc attached to said card holder for moving it into and out oi posilion.

is. in n lypcwriling machine, the combination of a movablc plalcn. a support secured on a lixed part of the min chino. a card holder mounted in said support and movable inlo and out oi contact with the platen, a linger piece for moving said card holder, and means for limiting the movement oi the cardholder in either direction.

lb. in n lypcwriiing machine, the combination or a movable platen, a support: sccurcd on a fixed part of the ma- 1 to limit the movement of the card holder in either direction.

21-. :In a typewriiing machine, lhc combination of a platen, an adjustable support sccurod on a fixed part oi the machine, a card holder mounted in said support and mow able into and'out of contact ivith the platen, and a linger piece for moving said card holder, said linger piece acting as a stop to limit the movement of the card holder in either direction.

22. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a support secured on a fixed pal-tot the machine,

-limitlng stops on said-support, a card holder mounted in said support and movable into and out 01' coutnct'with the platen, and a linger piece for moving said card holder, said linger piece being adapted to contact with the said fixed stops on the supportto limit the movement of the card holder.

23. In a typewriting machine, the combiuaiiion'ol a platen. an adjustable support secured on a fixed part of the machine, limiting stops on said support, a card holder mounted in said support and movable into and out of .coir

tact with the platen, and a linger piece for moving said card holder, said linger piece'being adapted to contact with the said fixed stops on the support to limit the movement of the card holder.

24. In a typewriting machine, the combination of'a movable platen, a support secured on a fixcd part of the machine, a card holder mounted on said support and movable into and out of operative relation with the platen, and adjustable means for limiting the movement of the card holder in either direction.

25. in a typcwriting machine, thc combination of a platen, and a pressure device attached to a fixed part of the machine. said device being movable longitudinally oi iiisclf and tangentially of the platen into and out of engagement with said platen whereby said device is rendered operative or inoperative.

26. in a front strike typewriting machine, the combination with a pinion, oi an upstanding'spring pressed card holder adapted to press the card against the platen and provided at its upper portion with means constituting a line gage.

27. in a front strike. typcwriling im1chinc, thc combination with a platen, of an upstanding card holder comprising a pair of spring lingers adaplcd to press the card or work slicct against. the platcn, the tops-of said lingers iermiuating below the printiug point and serving as a line gage.

Signed at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, this lst day of June A. l). 1904.

Witnesses 

